Dropdead is an American

hardcore punk Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier p ...

band based in

Providence, Rhode Island Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts ...

. They have been active in the

punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...

scene since 1991, having been formed in January of that year. The band's songs are generally short and very fast-paced, with few lasting longer than two minutes. Other famous

crust punk Crust punk (also known as crust or stenchcore) is a form of music influenced by English punk rock and extreme metal. The style, which evolved in the early 1980s in England, often has songs with dark and pessimistic lyrics that linger on politic ...

and grindcore bands like

Nasum Nasum (pronounced 'nah-zumm') was a Swedish grindcore band from Örebro, formed in 1992. The band released four studio albums and developed into "one of that country's premier metal acts". They disbanded after the December 2004 tsunami killed ...

have covered some of their songs. The band has a strong do-it-yourself ethic.

History

Meeting in Providence in 1989, they started playing as Hellocaust. After reconfiguring the lineup, a name change, and a great increase in speed and intensity, Dropdead was officially formed in January 1991. The first show happened in April 1991 with

Born Against Born Against was an American hardcore punk band from New York active between 1989 and 1993. In addition to their radical leftist politics, the group espoused a DIY punk message and challenged what they perceived as being a problem within the p ...

and

Rorschach Rorschach may refer to: * Hermann Rorschach, a Swiss psychiatrist ** Rorschach test, his psychological evaluation method involving inkblots * Rorschach (character), a character from the comics ''Watchmen'' * Rorschach (comic book), a 2020 comic * ...

. Recorded with

Kurt Ballou Kurt Ballou (born February 1, 1974) is an American musician and producer based in Massachusetts, best known as the guitarist for hardcore punk band Converge and for his prolific recording and production work at his own GodCity Studio. Early an ...

at GodCity Studio, their follow up to their 1998 ''Untitled'' album titled ''Dropdead 2020'' was released on September 25, 2020.

Influences

They have cited various acts where they have drawn musically from:

Anti Cimex Anti Cimex were a Swedish crust punk band, based in Skövde, Gothenburg, Linköping, and Malmö, at different times, that formed in 1981.Peter Jandreus, ''The Encyclopedia of Swedish Punk 1977–1987'', Stockholm: Premium Publishing, 2008, p. ...

Crass Crass were an English art collective and punk rock band formed in Epping, Essex in 1977, who promoted anarchism as a political ideology, a lifestylism, way of life, and a resistance movement. Crass popularised the anarcho-punk movement of the ...

Conflict Conflict may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Conflict'' (1921 film), an American silent film directed by Stuart Paton * ''Conflict'' (1936 film), an American boxing film starring John Wayne * ''Conflict'' (1937 film) ...

, Confuse, Discharge, Gauze, Icons of Filth, Infest,

Lärm Lärm (German for ''noise'') were a Dutch straight edge hardcore band formed in 1981, first playing under the name of Total Chaoz. They referred to their music as "extreme noise", though having nothing to do with noise rock or noise music. Due t ...

Merzbow is a Japanese noise project started in 1979 by , best known for a style of harsh, confrontational noise. Since 1980, Akita has released over 400 recordings and has collaborated with various artists. The name Merzbow comes from the German dada ...

Mob 47 Mob 47 is a hardcore punk band which formed in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1982, originally under the name of "Censur".Peter Jandreus, ''The Encyclopedia of Swedish Punk 1977-1987'', Stockholm: Premium Publishing, 2008, p. 143. In 1983 the band members ...

, Pandemonium, S.O.B.,

Septic Death Septic Death was an American hardcore punk band active in the 1980s. The foursome from Boise, Idaho was a major influence for the development of grindcore, thrashcore and "speedcore". History Septic Death was formed in 1981 by Brian " Pushead ...

Siege A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict characteriz ...

(whose 1984 demo tape '' Drop Dead'' is the origin of the band's name), SSD, and

Swans Swans are birds of the family Anatidae within the genus ''Cygnus''. The swans' closest relatives include the geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Someti ...

Members

Dropdead - March 12 2011 - Live in DC - by Will Butler

;Current * Bob Otis –

vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or withou ...

(1991–present) * Ben Barnett –

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected strin ...

(1991–present) * Brian Mastrobuono – drums (1991–present) * George Radford – bass (2010–present) ;Former * Lee Mastrobuono – bass (1991–1996) * Devon Cahill – bass (1996–2010)

Timeline

Discography

;Studio albums * ''Dropdead'' (1993, Selfless) (Sometimes referred to as ''落とす死'' or ''Dropdead 1993'') * ''Untitled'' (1998, Armageddon) (Sometimes referred to as ''LP 2'' or ''Dropdead 1998'') * ''Dropdead 2020'' (2020, Armageddon) ;EPs * ''Untitled'' 7" (1992, Crust Records) * ''Hostile'' 7" (1996, Spiral Objective/Insurgence) * ''Arms Race EP'' (2018, Armageddon) ;Splits * ''Dropdead/ Swirlies'' (1991, Fast Forward) * ''Dropdead/Rupture'' 8" (1992, Highly Collectable Records) * ''Dropdead/Crossed Out'' 5" (1993, co-released by five labels) * ''Dropdead/Totalitär'' 7" (2002, Prank) * ''Dropdead/Unholy Grave'' 7" (2003, MCR) * ''Dropdead/Look Back and Laugh'' 7" (2004, Armageddon) * '' Converge/Dropdead'' 7" (2011, self-released) * ''Dropdead/Ruidosa Inmundicia'' 7" (2013, Armageddon) * ''Dropdead/Systematic Death – Fighting For Life'' 7" (2013, Armageddon) * ''Dropdead/Brainoil'' 7" (2014, Armageddon) ;Other * ''Demo 1991'' (1991, Armageddon, Fast Forward) * ''What Could Be'' Single lathe 6" (2014, Armageddon; recorded live on BSR 88.1 FM on February 5, 2004) * ''Demo 2019'' (2019, Armageddon; benefit release for the Dropdead van fund) ;Compilation albums * '' Discography 1991–1993'' (1994, Armageddon) ;Live albums * ''Untitled'' (1991, self-released; recorded live at 2nd show) * ''Untitled'' (1991, self-released; recorded live on WRIU Radio 90.3 FM on May 22, 1991) * ''Live at The Jame Room'' (1996, HG Fact Co. in Japan; recorded in Columbia, SC on August 10, 1993) * ''Stack/Dropdead – Live In Udine 1996'' (1997, self-released; recorded in Udine, Italy on October 2, 1996) * ''Drop On – The Bootleg'' 3" (1997, Profane Existence Far East; recorded at Bad Lands, Hitoshima, Japan on May 14, 1996) * ''Dropdead/Mrtvá Budoucnost/Primitiv Bunko - The Big Boss Originall Soundtrack'' (1998, Hogo Fogo Records; recorded live at 007 Club in Praha, Czech Republic on October 29, 1998) * ''Live In Železniki'' (1998, Podpajsho Rekords; recorded in Železniki, Slovenia on November 1, 1998) * ''Humanity Is Burying the Earth with Its Rotting Carcasses'' (1999, Ad Absurdum Records; recorded in Lahti, Finland on October 19, 1997) * ''Live AJZ Wermelskirchen'' (2003, Red C Records, Armageddon; recorded in AJZ.Bahndamm Wermelskirchen, Germany in December 1998)

Associated Acts

;Bob Otis * Previously: The Fuzz, Lolita Black, Extinction Machine, NRK and I, Destroyer ;Ben Barnett * Runs Armageddon Label and Armageddon Record Shop * Previously: Snake Apartment, Generica ;Brian Mastrobuono * Previously: Straight to Hell, Supperating Pustule, Battlesnake, Neon Bitches, and Ratstab * Currently: Wolfhex ;George Radford * Currently: Edict, She Rides * Previously: Intent to Injure, Fucking Invincible, and Sweet Jesus ;Devon Cahill * Previously: Monster X, Exploding Corpse Action, Conniption, and Hail Mary

References

External links

Bandcamp pageDropdead
on

Discogs Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the ...

Providence AttacksDropdead live set in Tijuana, Mexico
{{Authority control Hardcore punk groups from Rhode Island American grindcore musical groups American crust and d-beat groups Musical groups established in 1991 Powerviolence groups 1991 establishments in Rhode Island